it’s 6pm and the sun is setting on the day. you grab a grocery basket from the rack at the front of your local grocer. you skim the choices of produce as you approach. ripe colors and crisp sweetness is in the air. you lean over the barrel of apples and your eyes dart around for what promises to give you a juicy mouthful that will truly satisfy. you’re a pro at this by now. you gather a half dozen red apples and toss them in your basket. on to the next! you do the same intent study of the lettuce, the cucumbers, and the avocados before scurrying to the checkout. the time flies by, but you hardly notice. once your grocery journey is done, nightfall has already come. “how long did I spend in there?!”, you ask yourself. not much thought needed though on that. It was the right amount of time to pick the best foods for your next meal! now you just can’t wait for dinner.
you most likely spend a large amount of time weekly carefully picking what foods will nourish your body and give you vitality. how much time do you spend picking out other good things for your body? ...perhaps what will look good on you or how you will de stress this weekend. but how much time do you spend caring for your skin? how about when you pick out items for your beauty cabinet? is it really that important?
what to watch out for in makeup and skincare ingredients.
we hate to rip the bandaid off now, but it will be less painful in the long run. trust us. these are just a handful of the harmful chemicals found in conventional beauty products that you may be applying to your skin on the daily.
lead: although banned in products you apply to your skin, the FDA has openly stated that around 99% of cosmetic products contain lead. while these levels may be well below the safety threshold, it all adds up over time. colorants are the usual suspects for lead contamination in beauty products. to be safe, you can opt for products colored with natural pigments such as minerals.
phthalates: phthalates can mimic human hormones, so they wreak havoc with your endocrine system. they can cause reproductive, developmental, and neurological damage. often, they're hidden under the label 'fragrance'.
cosmetic companies don't need to disclose the ingredients that give their products a unique smell because these are 'trade secrets'. the only way to avoid phthalates is to choose products that owe their scent to strictly plant oils and essences.
parabens, octinoxate, & siloxanes: these are frequently used as preservatives in cosmetics and skincare products. according to experts, parabens can cause hormone malfunction and obesity. what's more, these harmful chemicals easily penetrate human skin. steer clear of all products with ingredients ending in -methicone or -siloxane and -paraben.
formaldehyde: a known carcinogen, but it goes by many names:
- DMDM hydantoin
- bronopol
- BHUT (butylated hydroxytoluene)
- diazolidinyl urea
- sodium hydroxymethyl glycinate
- imidazolidinyl urea
- methenamine
- quaternium-15, 18, and 26- these release formaldehyde when they mix with air
BHT & BHA: these butylated compounds are endocrine disruptors. they can cause skin allergies, reproductive, organ, and developmental toxicity. they're used as preservatives in almost all cosmetics.
ok, back to the good stuff….
these facts can be alarming to know, but making informed decisions about your health is important! what you put on your skin is absorbed by about 70%. being the largest organ that you have, changing what you put on your skin can be one of the largest steps you take towards a healthier lifestyle. being aware of the ingredients you use in body care, hair care, and cosmetics is vital in feeding your body what is best from the outside in as well!
benefits of natural ingredients for your body.
in summary, they work better for you! natural ingredients don't need to be “boosted” with synthetics; they are rich in their own vibrant antioxidants and healing oils. without fillers, organic compounds get straight to work for you and protect you from things like free radical damage. with no pesticides, fertilizers, or harsh chemicals, you get the potency in the extracts themselves. they naturally soothe skin and reduce inflammation. good enough to eat, you don’t have to worry about irritation here. absorbance is high and your body knows just what to do with these ingredients.
avoid aging and acne with ingredients straight from the Earth.
synthetic makeup and skincare typically contains around 10% active ingredients. they have legal limits on how many chemicals they can jam in a bottle to sell, so you may be stuck with only 90% garbage. but still… who wants that? why waste a beauty routine on things that don’t enhance your beauty for the years to come?! plant-based oils naturally lubricate your skin and support the natural skin function. your skin is able to stay balanced and recuperate from sun, wind, and pollution damage. hidden ingredients dry out the skin or cause bacteria buildup, leading to more breakouts. with clean ingredients, you know just what you’re getting. stress is enough for a pimple to appear. but soothing your skin is easy when you are supporting it daily.
why natural is better for the Earth
using good-for-you ingredients is good for Mother Earth as well. organic and natural ingredients are sourced from sustainable farmers. no chemicals are used in propagating and harvesting these raw ingredients. so in turn, these relationships lessen the load on Earth’s resources. so too, these practices limit the ground, water, and air pollution. your choices for beauty can be eco-friendly too!
it’s better for the Animals as well!
sadly, conventional skincare and makeup brands use studies on our furry friends to test for potential harm from certain lab-created chemicals in beauty products. many flaunt that they are cruelty-free but still benefit from previous lab reports done on animals for chemicals they garner from their labs. using a farm-to-face approach has no need for potential risk testing. by increasing the demand for clean products, larger companies are discouraged to continue testing on animals. keeping our furry friends at the forefront makes everyone feel better.
what can you expect from TMF.
founder of True Makeup Freedom, Jill Chambers, turned to natural ingredients to heal her own skin. now, she takes great care in delivering the highest quality of product with sustainable, clean ingredients that nourish your skin. a long standing student of skincare and artistry herself, Jill is hands-on when it comes to formulation and choosing what is new and innovative for all colors and ingredients. our small batches ensure freshness. restrictions here are only from the bad things! TMF provides you with such a variety to choose from. your skin won't be dried out or stained for days after application. get used to a new second-skin! there is really nothing to lose.